By Susan Narjala | Corporate Communications Manager
Dheeraj is a 25-year-old guy. But unlike many his age, he doesn’t pursue a career or have fun-filled weekend plans. In fact, Dheeraj can barely speak or eat. He is one of 85 men at the Social Services Complex – a government-run Home for special needs individuals. Like most of the other men in the Home, Dheeraj has been written off, labelled by society as “hopeless”. Having suffered unspeakable trauma in the past, Dheeraj keeps to himself, barely saying a word, refusing to eat or drink. The staff at the Home are unsure of how long Dheeraj has in his current withdrawn condition.
But, week after week, U&I volunteers come alongside him.
Sometimes, it means just sitting by him with an arm around his shoulder. It means giving Dheeraj the space to open up and share. It means offering him juice. Just a few weeks ago, as our volunteer Yohann sat with him, Dheeraj shared a flurry of words and accepted the juice that was handed to him. We may not reverse the course of his life. But we can offer him company and give him hope. We can give him the space to speak and to show that someone cares enough to sit by him. We may not change the world. But we are changing the world for Dheeraj.
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